Children's Hospitals Today - Summer 2016 - 8
hospitalrounds
FIRST PERSON
From volunteer to neurologist
This doctor's career was inspired by her days as a hospital volunteer.
By Cynthia Keator, M.D.
8
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL S TODAY Summer 2016
Jeremy Enlow
W
hen I walk the halls that overlook
the atrium, I remember the awe
Cook Children's Medical Center gave me
many years ago. In 1994, when I was 14, I
began my volunteer work as a titleholder
with the Miss Texas organization. Along
with many of the other titleholders, I
performed my talent-ventriloquism-
in the atrium for patients. My fondest
memory is being in the atrium
performing, looking up and seeing all the
children and their parents looking down
and watching. It was so daunting then,
and now I walk past it all the time.
In 1998, through an internship program
during my senior year in high school,
I spent the spring semester at Cook
Children's in the Hematology/Oncology
Department, which held a special place in
my heart. I had a cousin who had battled
cancer and was treated by physicians at
the hospital. The medical center had such
an impact on me, that after completing
the internship, I continued to volunteer
with the organization. When people ask
me if I always wanted to be a doctor, I
tell them I always knew I wanted to do
something in the medical field. We all
have a childhood dream of what we want
to be when we grow up. I always wanted to
help people, especially children.
As a volunteer, I tried to ask questions
and absorb as much knowledge as
possible to prepare for medical school.
I learned the importance of listening to
patients and their families, and I saw
science come to life. It wasn't just about
studying words in a book; it was seeing
how medicine and medical care actually
worked. Volunteering here I also realized
how little I knew. Just regular biology
or chemistry class in high school is
Cynthia Keator, M.D., works with a patient at Cook Childrenʼs Medical Center.
nothing compared to what caregivers do
in real life. I learned that being a doctor
was about more than just being smart.
It really takes a lot of compassion and
motivation. Seeing the interaction of the
doctors and nurses with the patients, I
knew there was so much more to learn
than what was in a textbook.
By volunteering, I developed an
interest in working with children,
especially those needing chronic or
long-term care. In neurology, we care
for many children who require close
follow-up through adulthood. Of course,
I'm interested in the pathophysiology
of neurological conditions, especially
epilepsy, but, what I also love about my
field is that I've become part of the
team and have a chance to truly get
to know families.
Now, as I walk through the atrium,
I see new volunteers learning those
same life lessons. I see volunteers of
all ages who choose to spend time
with our patients. I'm thankful so
many people want to help. Everyone
should volunteer-it's good for the
soul. Working at Cook Children's now
is surreal because it was everything I
aspired to do as a child. It's really cool to
look back and say, "Wow, I did it."
Cynthia Keator, M.D., is a pediatric
neurologist and epileptologist at Cook
Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth,
Texas. This piece originally published
at checkupnewsroom.com.
Send questions or comments to
magazine@childrenshospitals.org.
childrenshospital s.org
http://www.checkupnewsroom.com
http://www.childrenshospitals.org
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